Suspect in kidnapping case kills self in storage building

A man being sought by police for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend in High Point killed himself Monday morning in Lexington, authorities have confirmed.

BY DARRICK IGNASIAKThe Dispatch

A man being sought by police for kidnapping his ex-girlfriend in High Point killed himself Monday morning in Lexington, authorities have confirmed.Erik William Lehr, 32, of High Point, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a storage building behind the Bass Food Mart on Hargrave Road, said Maj. Mark Sink of the Lexington Police Department. Officers found Lehr deceased in the building at 7:58 a.m., according to a news release from the LPD.Officers had been searching for Lehr since 12:36 a.m. That's when they responded to vitacost.com on Lexington Parkway in the Lexington Business Park to investigate a suspicious vehicle. The woman ran to officers, and Lehr fled into the woods, Sink said.“We have been looking for him all night with the assistance of the Highway Patrol and the Department of Correction,” Sink said. “Our information is that she was kidnapped in High Point. It's very early on in the investigation, and we are working with High Point Police.”The woman, who the LPD called an acquaintance of Lehr, was not injured. Sink said Monday afternoon the incident was domestic-related. The major declined to comment on why Lehr and the victim ended up on Lexington Parkway.Police had issued a press release warning the suspect was considered armed and dangerous, and residents and motorists in the area should use caution.High Point Police Det. Lt. Kevin Ray and another detective from his agency visited Lexington about 4 a.m. in regard to the kidnapping. He said officers decided at that time that LPD would handle the entire case, including the kidnapping in High Point.Ray said the kidnapping of the woman, who is in her mid-20s, occurred in the 600 block of Hendrix Street in southeast High Point between 11:30 p.m. Sunday and 12:40 a.m. Monday. He said the woman had no established address, as she was in transition from another location.“My information was that they had been a boyfriend and girlfriend in the past,” he said, adding that it appears the incident was partially due to a break-up between Lehr and the woman.The Davidson County Sheriff's Office also assisted in the search. The LPD stated in a news release Monday afternoon that the investigation is still ongoing, and the agency is being assisted by the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation.

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or at darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com.